Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan - Volume 6 - Chapter 7.1

Chapter 7: Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival Second Round - Begins 
Part 1 
Due to the change in the number of matches, the third round was moved up. Because that information dribbled out, things were greatly disordered. 
It was particularly important for the contenders of the second round. After all, it was the general rule that each contender would have fight per day. Now that assumption had been overturned suddenly, and they would be forced to fight repeatedly instead. Basically, the second round would be held at 9AM, and the third at 6PM. Being told to free up that time was like dousing hot rocks with water. Naturally, there was protest. From those related to the contenders of course, as well as audience members who had already made reservations for the final day and the local businesses who had made plans for catering to Festival customers efficiently. But the administration committee did not make a satisfactory explanation, and this shortening of the schedule was forced through. 
In this confusion, the second round of the 62nd Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival began. What the heck was the administration committee thinking? 
—What Ikki and the others knew of this state of affairs was that in A Block's second round. Sword Emperor of Wind Ouma Kurogane and Panzer Grizzley Renji Kaga had won their respective matches. Afterwards, they joined Kagami Kusakabe of the Hagun Academy Newspaper Club. 
"Ahh, there they are! Yoohoo, hey everyone!" 
"Oh my, isn't it Kagamin?" 
"Good afternoon, Kusakabe-san." 
Having found Ikki and the other contenders, Kagami noisily ran up to them, speaking loudly. 
"Haha, congrats on getting the win, all of you! Who would’ve though that Hagun Academy’s reps would all make it through the first round! It’s the first time in Hagun’s history! Brilliant work, brilliant! Actually, I wanted to congratulate you yesterday, but it was frantic putting together all of the data sent to the school, and by the time I could get a break, the sun was already up~!" 
’’You sure are lively despite that." 
Arisuin rebutted so with a light smile, and Kagami puffed her chest proudly. 
"Obviously! What kind of reporter sputters out because of an all-nighter? Besides, isn't [fHagun’s Representatives All Win Through The First Round! the most uplifting kind of article? Who'd get tired with something that fun and happy? Oreki-sensei told me everyone back at the academy were also celebrating loudly all night!" 
"What would they be doing at school if they weren't already considered adults?" 
"Ahaha, yeah really. But isn't that fine anyway? It wasn't just us yesterday. Everyone was up. Stella-chan in particular! Did you know? The percentage of people who were watching that one-on-four bout! Eighty-two percent! Even more than for the KOK A-League finals! What a shock! It was like New Years Eve! ...Oh, huh?" 
Kagami's machine-gun chatter came to a stop. 
Because the topic, Stella, was... 
"...Auu 
_M 
...curled up with her back against the fence, groaning. 
"...Doesn’t Stella-chan seem out of it? What happened? Is it that day of the month?" 
Arisuin bopped the top of Kagami's head at her unrefined comment, then told Stella’s reason for balling up like this. 
"It's because she kicked around everyone else in B-Block, so she feels responsible for making Ikki fight more than once a day even though he can't do it." 
Hearing that, Kagami's face changed in agreement. 
"Ahh... I see. That's true. Senpai's ability is a huge problem in consecutive fights, isn't it...." 
Whether Ittou Shura or Ittou Rasetsu, Ikki's Noble Arts didn't leave any magic power remaining once used. And he needed a day to recover enough to use them again. Undeniably, his available tactics were limited. That was drastic. 
"I told her I wasn't that worried about it though. It's not like I'm the only one who has to fight multiple times. And first of all, it's not like she could predict a special exception would be made like this." 
As Ikki said, this kind of decision wouldn't usually be made. The number of days in the event was abruptly truncated despite the match venue's contract and security schedule already having been set. The Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival was not just a contest for students, but an entertainment business. The administration committee's decision this time had broken every possible operation scheme surrounding the Festival. Normally, the number 
of matches not being enough wouldn't lead to such an unreasonable decision. So to blame this effect on Stella would be too unfair. Instead, as far as Ikki was concerned, he'd rather she reflect on betraying him by bargaining with Sara last night, but.... 
"...Kusakabe-san. Since you have access to the mass media information network, do you know anything about this? Why would the administration committee send down such a decision?" 
"Hmm... well.... If you ask me, I could tell you, but...." 
While giving that vague response to Shizuku's question, Kagami made a troubled face. And with a fleeting sideways glance toward Stella, who had been emitting such gloom this whole time that she was practically a humidifier, she spoke. 
"But it's hard to say it when it might be Stella's finishing blow." 
"Huh? Th-Then it really is my fault? I'm the bad one!?" 
Jumping up with a bang, Stella approached Kagami blue-faced. Facing that, Kagami shook her head frantically to deny it. 
"No no no! That's not it! You didn't do anything wrong, Stella-chan! This is all due to the adult world's money getting entangled in everything. But... well, you've been caught up in it." 
"Kagami-san, it can't be helped if you're worried about finishing your statement here, so can you tell us anyway?" 
"This is a secret, you know?" 
In response to Ikki's demand, Kagami said only a few words. 
"The Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival is by appearance for students and for business, but money changes hands when Blazers fight. The cost of reserving the venue. The cost of repairing damage to the facility. The cost of ensuring the audience safety. The cost of transportation maintenance or committee personnel fees or everything else—it wasn't awful without a great amount of money, but the wheels wouldn’t turn without that money either. The revenue from spectators or and sponsorship advertisements was good, but not enough. So the Japanese branch of the League of Mage-Knight Nations who controlled the performance of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival had auctioned off its broadcast rights. And with that revenue they had worked out a way to deal with various expenses. In truth, this was a festival for the youngsters who would carry the burden of this country's future, so they had not prepared the broadcast rights ahead of time, but the main headquarters of the League hated to interfere with the Japanese government's knight training, thus they had a rule which forbade accepting support money from the government. This means they won't be able to hold the exhibition. That makes all of this inevitable. But even with this situation, they still managed to make such a splendid show!" 
"Through investors, right?" 
"Exactly. The reason the administration committee forced this schedule shortening was because investors made an explosive objection. 'We didn't hear anything about B-Block's second and third rounds not being held! You're breaking the contract!'. And so on." 
"...How difficult. In a contest between fellow humans, so it seems rare for any to abstain and lessen the number of matches." 
Kagami nodded to the amazed Arisuin. 
"Well, yeah. So usually neither the administration committee nor the main HQ that's backing them would listen to this kind of objection, and usually the investors wouldn’t make such a nonsensical fuss in the first place. But this year is a bit different." 
"Different?" 
"Yeah. .. .1 just said that they auctioned off the broadcast rights, but in practice —and this is definitely a secret—the broadcaster for the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival rotates every year, by secret agreement with the key bureau members. The main League HQ pretends to protest, but since it's an important national event, they say it's to make handing out the broadcasts fair. That's why the bidding price hardly ever changes. For the last decade, it's been kept at about five billion yen each year 111 . This has been funds the Festival administration committee uses every year. ...But this year is different. This year's committee... to put it simply, the money they made by auction was one hundred billion yen 121 !" 
"A-A hundred billion!?" 
"Wh-What the heck, isn't that twenty times the usual amount!? Why would it be so...." 
At the extreme jump in cost, Arisuin and Shizuku almost screamed. But Ikki immediately considered the reason for this price inflation. 
"—Ah, I see. That's how Stella is caught up in this, huh?" 
"Your judgment is good. That's exactly right, Senpai." 
"Huh? Wh-What do you mean!? Why am I involved with this money?" 
Stella was bewildered, not following the conversation. Kagami explained it to her. 
"It’s because you're a huge world star, Stella-chan. You’re a princess and a knight. That would be enough as a reason. And yet you also have an A-rank magic capacity, the highest level in the world. If we add your exceptional beauty, enough to be a national idol, it’ll jump past three-of-a-kind and full house right to straight flush, you know!? Having you here completely changes the essence of the Festival show. The Festivals in the past were certainly popular, but only within Japan itself. But if the Crimson Princess Stella Vermillion, who all the world has its eyes on is attending, it’s not just a performance for Japan anymore. All the countries under the League would be dragged into it as well. Naturally, broadcasters overseas would bring in money endlessly too, to get television rights!" 
But in cases of large amounts of money, investors must be able to collect their money seriously. They wouldn’t be working with the usual sort of finance contracts. This was a contest they couldn’t afford to lose. 
"In this big show. One of the main players, Stella-chan, wouldn't have some of her matches. There would be two days where Stella wouldn’t show up. For investors, this is something they can't look past. So they objected. No, not something as halfhearted as objecting. Money is money. They were on the level of screaming. And the only thing the administration committee can't take is a one-sided attack regarding money." 
If it’s like that, then no joke, there would be deaths. And not just one or two people. 
"So that’s why from last night to this morning, they’ve been loudly disputing things, and in the end to the bidders who won broadcasting rights, the administration committee... that’s to say, one day’s worth of the price out of five was returned to each country, and on top of that, the schedule was condensed to remove one of the days without Stella-chan 
appearing. Plus one of the days schedule for the finals was changed to an exhibition match with A-League mage knights. And probably sometime today, Stella-chan will get a request to participate in that exhibition for some reason or other!" 
"...I didn't know that what I did was going to have this kind of result." 
Hearing that her action had triggered such huge mayhem, Stella seemed like she was about to sob. 
"How should I take responsibility...?" 
But to Stella who mumbled this.... 
"No, you’re wrong!" 
Kagami declared so with an unusually strong tone. 
"K-Kagami?" 
"It wasn't your fault that the Pierrot broke the rules, and you shouldn't feel obliged to anything just because the other two from Akatsuki decided to withdraw on their own! The administration committee recognized that this was an irregular match to begin with, and still formally permitted it. And besides... everyone at school was really happy, including me!" 
"Happy...?" 
"Because, Stella-chan, to beat our enemy without letting them get away, you took on such an unreasonable match, didn't you? Even though this competition is so important to you, you took on such a risk and fought for the rest of us who were too weak to do anything. When we saw you beat them up, our mood re-ally cleared up!" 
Saying so, Kagami hugged Stella without holding back. 
"Thank you! I like you more and more!" 
"Kagamiii... yeah, I like you too." 
Stella also answered Kagami's embrace. 
Because of that sunny expression, she seemed freed from the unnecessary sense of responsibility —that was good. Ikki believed so from the bottom of his heart as he watched the two of them. In the first place, students shouldn’t have to worry about their sponsors. Kagami who didn’t fail to miss that wasn't being smooth-tongued. They simply had a good friend in her. 
Ultimately , thanks to Kagami-san , Stella is fine now. 
In that case, after this—is the series of mayhem. Should they go and watch how this all played out? 
TAnd so... and so... hurt more. Bleed more. Cut more. I will cheer for that Ikki-kun until I grow hoarse. I want to see you break, break, and break as you keep on defying your fate!
 Remembering that voice, a creeping fear pricked up and down his body. Ikki knew someone who was capable of creating this kind of chaos. 
"...Onii-sama. Could this be...." 
It seemed that Shizuku had also reached the same guess. With a stiff face, Ikki looked up. In response, he nodded. 
"Yeah, that’s what I think too. He hoped for me to be at a disadvantage yesterday, didn't he?" 
"Hmm? Senpai, what are you talking about? It sounds like your insinuating something." 
"...As a matter of fact, something happened yesterday — " 
Part 2 
"The ability to make any wish come true... what the heck. Isn't that absurd...!?" 
"But that kind of ability is consistent with the mysterious battle record, right? I see, I see." 
The conversation with Amane, and the misfortune he created for the WhiteRobed Knight Kiriko Yakushi; after hearing about all of that, Stella and Kagami frowned. 
"Hey, Kagami. If we informed the administration committee about this, can't we get Amane disqualified? Is interfering with an ability from outside a match the most forbidden of all?" 
"Hmm... that's a strict rule, but anyway it's impossible." 
"Why!?" 
"We don't have any proof. Regarding everything that's happened with the money behind the scenes up to the administration committee's forced decision, there's been some irregularities, but it's still more or less within reason. That's how it's been going so far. So there's no way to produce evidence that his power intervened, even if Shinomiya-kun really did do so." 
"First of all, if Amane-kun really does have such power, then any action to get him disqualified would definition end in failure." 
Stella groaned at the words added by Ikki, looking as if she was going to stomp on the ground in frustration. 
"Ahh~so-a-nnoy-ing! Even though he called himself a fan of Ikki, all he does is get in Ikki’s way...! Since we're supposed to have time between matches, maybe we should go beat him up...!" 
"If you did something like that, you'll just get disqualified yourself, you know." 
"Ugh." 
At Shizuku's serene voice cutting in, Stella moaned. 
But exactly as she said, Stella's elimination would be the only result for such an action. 
"Well, there's no need to worry about every little thing with Onii-sama, Stella-san." 
And Shizuku, who had been needling Stella, declared so. 
 
 
"Because in any case. I'll kick him off the stage in this afternoon's thirdround match." 
Hers was a tone that flowed with confidence. 
"Will you be okay, Shizuku? I don't know how we're supposed to fight something on the scale of granting any wish, so I don't have any plan. Besides, like we just heard with the White-Robed Knight, we might not know how that power manifests in battle. 
"My my, Stella-san, could you be worried about me? How surprising. Do you appreciate me now?" 
At the blunt teasing, Stella's face reddened like an explosion. From anger, obviously. 
"Wha!? D-Don't be stupid! That's impossible! Who'd be worried about a sister-in-law like you!? I just wanted to shut that big mouth full of confidence, so I asked if you had any basis for it!" 
"Of course I have some basis. If I didn't, I wouldn't have said it." 
"Huh!? Really!?" 
"Yes. I've already envisioned a way to defeat his Nameless Glory." 
Ikki was astonished to hear that Shizuku had already found somewhere to start in defeating Amane, but Stella showed even greater surprise, and immediately asked. 
"A-And how — " 
"I won't tell you." 
And against Stella who was asking with all her might, Shizuku responded with a hard voice that she would say nothing more, then stuck out her tongue. Instantly, Stella’s hair stood up in fiery radiance. 
"Ikki—your little sister's personality is horrible! How exactly was she brought up!?” 

"Hahaha... She used to be a good and meek little girl though." 
"That’s not true, Onii-sama. Shizuku was only ever a good girl in front of you." 
Hearing something he didn't want to hear so bluntly, Ikki was just a little bit dejected. And at that exact moment— 
TAn announcement for all C-Block contenders. After ten minutes of intermission and clearing of the ring, the C-Block second round matches will begin. C-Block contenders, please gather in the waiting room. Again — " 
The announcement resounded through the venue. C-Block was the one with Ikki registered. 
"I see. Since there's no match for B-Block, after A-Block comes C. Then I should get to the waiting room." 
Saying so, Ikki took a step away from the group, and all of his friends gave yells of support. 
"Onii-sama, I'll pray for your success." 
"There's more than one fight today, so ration your strength carefully." 
"Do your best, Senpai! I'm looking forward to some good photos!" 
 Returning a smile to those cheers, Ikki looked toward Stella last. Stella... chewed her lips with a downcast look, wondering if she should apologize for the issue with the matches. 
"...Ikki, umm...." 
How should she cheer him on, when she bore some part of the responsibility for putting him in this situation? Stella was probably roiling in that complicated question. 
Ikki guess so — and spoke up himself. 
"It’s a sign of good fortune that we're thinking the same thing, right?" 
"Ah, umm, yeah?" 
Her thoughts cut through unexpectedly, Stella stared back with a blank face. She probably didn't understand any part of his statement. But as far as Ikki was concerned, it was neither accident nor fluke. Because — 
"We didn't expect for the final battle we wanted so badly to move up by one day. What's that, if not good fortune? All this time, whenever I see your face, I can't help but boil inside... and aren't you the same?" 
Ikki said these words with a quiet fighting spirit burning blue in his eyes. 
At those words, Stella widened her scarlet eyes at once. 
"Yeah, of course!" 
She replied with a shining smile. Her scarlet irises were no longer averted, staring straight at Ikki with emotions aflame. And Stella, with her tone back to normal, tapped Ikki's shoulder with one fist. 
"I know you won't lose!" 
"Right... I got it." 
And so Ikki strode forward to his match, to the stage of the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival's second round — 
Part 3 
In the Bay Dome where the Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival was being held, there were two gates facing each other, one red and one blue. The Festival contenders were divided evenly between the two gates, held in the respective waiting rooms behind each gate to await the announcer. The decision of which gate a particular participant would go to was sent each morning by mail from the administration committee. In Ikki's case, he had been behind the blue gate yesterday. Today was red. It was a bit inconvenient to change the appointed place every day, but this was just a match formality, and it couldn’t be helped that the room he'd be waiting in and the people he'd be waiting with changes every time—yes, in other words. 
This sort of thing would inevitably happen , huh 
While sitting down on a folding chair in the dreary waiting room, Ikki nervously and hesitantly peeked at the situation. It was a seven-by-fifteen meter bare concrete room. There, a bare-chested young man with a death's head tattoo was plopped in a folding chair, his legs crossed—Donrou Academy third-year. Sword Eater Kuraudo Kurashiki. The one who the girl named Ayase Ayatsuji had been locked in battle with, and Ikki's fated opponent. Furthermore, with the eight original people of C-Block reduced to four, and the four divided between the two gates, there was nobody else in the room. Two opponents fated to meet in furious combat, alone in the same room before a match. Naturally, there wouldn't be any conversation... the atmosphere was as heavy as lead. Besides — 
Umm... he's been glaring this way the entire time. 
Kuraudo had been scowling in Ikki's direction with his brow creased since Ikki entered the room. Even if Ikki couldn’t read his mind, the veins bulging on his forehead were plainly visible. 
He... he's not going to charge at me, right? 
Ikki, who knew Kuraudo’s wild temperament and had earned Kuraudo’s hate, was in a state of tense suspense. And after spending about an hour in that state of both mental and bodily disquiet.... 
 An announcement for contenders standing by in their waiting rooms. The time has come for C-Block’s second round matches to begin. Contenders Sara Bloodlily and Kuraudo Kurashiki, please proceed to your respective gates.
...the announcer invited the contenders to their match. Finally, the tension of being in the same cage as a hungry lion was released. Thinking this, Ikki heaved a breath of relief— 
"Haa...." 
— and at the same time, Kuraudo also released a huge sigh. 
"...Finally, I can get outta this room, huh?” 
As if Kuraudo was revealing relief from the bottom of his heart. Maybe he was just as hesitant toward Ikki as Ikki had been toward him... no, that wouldn’t be the case. 
"Man, it sure was hard stopping myself from beating you to death the second I saw your face." 
Eekl 
Hearing Kuraudo's real reason made Ikki's complexion turn bad. 
"...Thanks for your patience." 
"No problem. I already decided getting disqualified here would be a pain in the ass. There’s just one fight between now and us going at it today. I'll butcher you then...!" 
"You're surprisingly confident, but shouldn't you be thinking about your current opponent? Sara Bloodlily is from Akatsuki... in other words, she's a terrorist from Rebellion. She's not someone you can deal with normally — " 
"That's none of your business." 
Kuraudo declared so with no hesitation in his voice. 
"I don't care about who or what that girl is. That ain't important to me. The only thing I'm here for is my match with you." 
In an instant, Kuraudo's body erupted in fighting spirit and magic power that raised goosebumps all over Ikki's skin. 
"I came here to fight you. I've been training for two months to pay you back. Getting stronger to win against you...!" 
The rising fighting spirit and magic power grew with the voltage in Kuraudo's words, changing in color as he focused it in his right hand. 
The magic power filled with the intent to do battle took shape for combat, into a skeletal sword made of bone formed like a great serpent—the Device Orochimaru. 
"Wha...!?" 
Ikki unintentionally released a gasp upon seeing the Device. Why? This wasn't the first time he's seen Orochimaru. The reason was in Kuraudo's left 
hand. Somehow, Kuraudo was holding a Device of exactly the same shape in his left hand as in his right. 
"T-Two sword style...!?" 
That was impossible. Certainly there were Blazers who could develop their Devices, but that was because those Devices had that kind of nature. Sword Eater Kuraudo Kurashiki's Device Orochimaru was a single sword. It wasn't like Arisuin's Device that could be split into multiples. If that had been the case, Kuraudo would certainly had fought Ikki previously using two sword style. After all. Sword Eater's Marginal Counter would be much more suited for two blades than a single one. Furthermore, if one looked carefully, one could see that the Devices themselves had changed. Previously, 
Kuraudo's Orochimaru had saw-tooth edging on one side, giving it a shape close to a hatchet. But now, Orochimaru had an edge on both sides, like a Western blade. 
—The Device had changed this much. It was beyond common sense, because a Device reflected a Blazer's inner spirit, his personal values and aesthetics, his personality and lifestyle—how could it be changed to this degree? It couldn't be. Imaging the determination and the kind of training Kuraudo had undertaken to abandon all he had been, to kill off all he had been so completely was...! 
But he must have done so. To win against Ikki. To catch up to Ikki. 
"Kurogane... you better make it. I'll be waiting. Once you get there, we're gonna have another go. We're gonna have that kind of fun again...!" 
Ikki's lips curled upward. His chest grew hot. He was happy. Someone had gone this far to win against him. In that case — 
"Yeah, I will. Definitely." 
There was no reason to refuse this challenge. 
"...Ha ha ha." 
Hearing Ikki’s answer, Kuraudo laughed in satisfaction, turned on his heel, threw open the door to the entrance gate, and left the waiting room. The sword spirit swelling from his back was already no longer that of a delinquent. It had been honed to that of a top-grade swordsman. Ikki, for verified this, quivered. 
"The Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival really is the best." 
Not a single person here was simple. Not a single person here was halfhearted. There were only battles where not even a bit of complacency was permitted. And so, he would face off with all that he had. Ikki decided this, gazing at Kuraudo’s distant back. 
Part 4 
Ahh... thank you for waiting! The contenders for the first match of CBlock’s second round are now heading for their gates!
At the announcement, cheers swelled through the venue. Amid the gushing applause — 
First to appear from the red gate is Donrou Academy third-year contender, Kuraudo Kurashiki! His Marginal Counter is an impregnable defense that surpasses natural limits! His flexible serpentine Device Orochimaru gives him mastery of range! Having taken countless victories with these two advantages, he was named "Sword Eater"! Will this bloodthirsty wolfs fangs cut his enemies to pieces today as well!?
Amid the cheers of the great audience, Kuraudo walked to the ring’s perimeter with strong steps, then stepped onto the artificial grass. Seeing that, Stella who was in the audience suddenly tilted her head in confusion. 
"Huh?” 
"Did something happen, Stella-san?" 
"...That guy is... using two swords...." 
"Oh my my? That’s certainly strange, isn't it? And I get the feeling that his Device is different from what’s in my information." 
Carried in Kuraudo’s hands were two bone swords. But they were inconsistent with his weapon in Stella’s recollection. It was the same for Kagami. That’s why the two had confused expressions, but — 
"Aren't you worried? I hadn’t heard of a Device changing like that." 
"I heard that sometimes a Device changes because a knight lost his memory during an incident. Well, it’s not a common thing. Maybe we're misunderstanding it? Or maybe he always could use two swords, but didn’t back then?" 
Arisuin and Shizuku, who had not been a part of the matter with Ayase Ayatsuji, did not feel the same confusion. Indeed, it was not common for someone to change his own soul’s nature by will. But Kuraudo decided to do so, simply to win against Ikki. But Stella and Kagami did not judge it this way. 
"Huh? Is that how it is? I have a hunch that’s not the reason though." 
After considering the question, Stella gave up thinking about it. It wasn’t necessary information at this point. And anyway, another Blazer had 
appeared in the ring at this time. From the ink-like darkness, there came a swirl of unkempt blonde hair. That was — 
And now! From the blue gate, Akatsuki Academy first-year contender, Sara Bloodlily! As usual, it’s hard to find an appropriate place to look! It’s like she'll become naked if she moves even a little bit suddenly. Will the broadcasting code allow it!? This looks to be a match that a portion of our audience will have to skip watching!
"What’s this announcer going on about?" 
Stella coughed in exasperation at the juicy commentary. And Kagami added some of her own. 
"No, no. Sara-chan is surprisingly popular in online forums, you know? For her amazingly provocative attire of course, but also for her charisma." 
"...Somehow I don't think I get understand how the world thinks." 
While useless conversation continued above, the two people in the ring came to their starting positions. 
Now then, the first C-Block match for the 62nd Seven Stars Sword-Art Festival's second round. Contender Kuraudo Kurashiki versus Contender Sara Bloodlily!
TLET’S GET STARTED -!
The signal to begin the match rang loudly. 
Part 5 
"Ha ha!" 
The one who moved at the same time as the starting signal was Kuraudo. Swinging the two blades of Orochimaru, he crossed the twenty meters separating him from his opponent at the beginning of the match. 
 
"Jakotsu Soujin —! 
With speed that the eye could not follow, he sent his blades through those twenty meters in an instant. Indeed, his Device Orochimaru can stretch and contract at will. Everything with the hundred-meter diameter ring was within his range. The paired blades of Orochimaru moved as if they had wills of their own, and approached Sara's neck. The saw-teeth edges turned as they flew the course toward taking Sara's head from her shoulders. 
But Sara also moved. 
"Brush of the Demiurge." ^ 
What manifested was a palette of colored paint and a worn-out brush stained with pigment. This was the Device of the Bloody Da Vinci, Sara Bloodlily, Brush of the Demiurge. Sara dabbing a spot of light blue paint from her palette — 
"Color of Magic—Aqua Blue of Water Surface. 
— and scattered the paint on the ground at her feet, turning the green of the ring there blue. In the next instant—her body submerged into the aqua blue with the sound of a water droplet. 
A moment later, the bone blade aiming for her neck struck in vain. Kurauda strained his eyes searching for the enemy that had disappeared in an 
instant. But in another instant, something burst out from the water behind him in his blind spot with a splash. Of course, it was Sara Bloodlily who had disappeared into the aqua blue before. She had been swimming across the ring using Color of Magic, and got into Kuraudo’s blind spot, and — 
"Color of Magic—Fire Red of Brilliant Blaze ." ^ 
Dabbing scarlet paint with the tip of her brush, she swung her arm and threw the paint at Kuraudo’s back. Despite the amount that she threw from her brush, what poured onto Kuraudo seemed to be a paint bucket's worth of color. But— 
"Ha!" 
To Kuraudo, who had been born with the superhuman reflexes called Marginal Counter, surprise attacks were meaningless. Even if one came from behind, even if it attacked his blind spot, Kurado’s more than capable of evading. He dashed away from that spot, dodging the descending paint. Paint was once again scattered upon the ring. And as it flew, the magmalike color spurted fire, disintegrating the ring where it landed. 
TTh-This is amazing...! An exchange of such dangerous techniques as soon as the match started!
Neither Contender Kurashiki who aimed to decapitate Contender Bloodlily, and Contender Bloodlily who responded with fiery Color of Magic, hesitated at all. This will likely be a hard match for the main referee to interrupt.
"Hey, Kagami." 
Suddenly, Stella who was watching the match from the audience seats asked something to Kagami who was sitting next to her. 
"I haven’t been paying attention to any matches besides the one I'll have with Ikki, but exactly what kind of ability does Sara have? She pulled out all kinds of stuff in an instant." 
"Hmm, well, from the data while she was in Rokuzon, her Blazer rank was C. Her Blazer ability was manipulating concepts through color. For example, the exchange just now used aqua blue for water, a spell for creating a lake. And fire red for flame, a spell for invoking heat where she puts the color." 
This was information that Kagami got by exchanging data with the Rokuzon Academy Newspaper Club. Since there was no reason for Rokuzon to hold back information on an Akatsuki member who had betrayed that academy, one could say this information was very likely accurate. 
"That's very versatile, isn't it." 
"True. She has as many abilities as she has colors. Because of that diversity in ability, Rokuzon Academy called her... 'Kaleidoscope'."